Portacabin or Portakabin

Portakabin Buildings - what is the correct term?

Occasionally you come across the word “Portakabin” spelt in a variety of different, but incorrect, ways – most commonly as “Portacabin”. We and our colleagues at Portakabin are regularly asked about this. As the experts on this topic, Portakabin is keen to clarify how its name should be used.

Portakabin is not an ordinary word but, in fact, a trade mark. Donald Shepherd, the founder of Portakabin Limited, had the idea of a stand-alone, relocatable building way back in the 1940s. He thought of a fitting name for his business – Portakabin – and registered it as a trade mark. Since that day, only modular buildings produced by Portakabin Limited can be called Portakabin buildings.

As a pioneer in the development of relocatable and modular accommodation and as an international market leader in the industry, Portakabin always works hard to prevent its name being used incorrectly. So if you see such terms as "Portacabin Ireland", you'll now know it's a misspelling.

In short –Portakabin is a protected, exclusive trade mark that can only be used to describe the products of Portakabin Limited.